Death of The Demon King
by KingAden
Summary: After the death of their beloved Demon King, Yuuri's family and friends are left to pick up the pieces of their shattered hearts. Meanwhile, someone close to a member of the castle's staff harbors a dark secret regarding Yuuri's tragic death.
1. Yuuri

I sit up slowly so as not to give myself a head rush and make myself dizzy and look around the room.

Unlike the warm, cozy room I've grown accustomed to living in as king, this room is cold and dark. There aren't any windows in which to let the light from outside filter through and the room is dim enough to make even the most energetic person feel like laying down and sleeping.

I throw my legs over the side of the bed and stand up. My legs are weak from laying in bed for so long. They want to give out on me.

I stretch them a little, then carefully make my way to the door. Just as I reach to open it, the door swings open and a soldier comes rushing in and hurries past.

He's too focused on something on the desk opposite of the door to notice me, so I leave and go in search of someone who can help me.

Normally, the castle is teeming with life. Gwendal would be working in the office and arguing with Günter, who has just barged in on him with a list of complaints. Anissina would be in her lab, creating something amazing that everyone was afraid of and forcing Günter and Gwendal to help her. Wolfram would be in our chambers, reading to our daughter.

The maids would be discussing the latest development in the "love lottery" while the rest of the castle staff would be abuzz with the latest castle gossip.

Instead, the atmosphere feels kind of ...

I stop walking and look up at the sky. I don't know what possessed me to stop and look up at the sky, but now that I have, I can't help but notice the dark, ominous clouds hanging low over head.

The air is cool and damp. Nothing is moving and everything is quiet.

 _Too_ quiet.

It feels like the calm before the storm.

Unsettled, I start walking again, eager to find someone who can explain to me what's happened and why.

A voice emanates from a room at the end of the corridor and I quicken my pace. As I approach the room, I realize that I recognize the voice.

Actually, there are two voices. The conversation between them sounds serious.

I put my ear to the door and listen.

 **/ / / / /**

"... once I give them the news, I'll make the announcement publicly. As for the person responsible for this outrage, I'll see to his execution personally!"

Gwendal ball's his right hand into a fist and shake's it angrily in the air.

"Is there anything I can do, Gwen?"

Gunter asks sympathetically, wanting to help.

"No. This is my responsibility."

Gwendal pauses a minute before continuing.

"Actually, I have a feeling that I'm going to need help dealing with my younger brothers. They're the ones who are going to be upset the most by the news."

"Understood. I'll do my best to help both of them but..."

"But?"

"What about you, Gwen?"

Gunter asks, concerned.

"You needn't worry about me, old man. I'll be alright."

Gwendal tries to assure him with one of his classic, confident smirks.

"You need to take time to grieve properly, too, Gwen. He was important to you, too."

Gunter says gently.

 **/ / / / /**

 _Execution? Whose? Why?  
_  
As I listen to Gwendal and Gunter's conversation, I come to understand.

Someone has died.

It isn't Gwendal or Gunter, obviously. Nor is it Conrad or Wolfram. Instead, it was someone they were all close to.

Greta? Gisela? Anissina? Celi-Sama? Dacascos?

I can't think of anyone else they were all close to. Unless it was one of the maids.

Someone's coming. I can hear their boots " _clacking_ " loudly against the floor as they approach.

I look up and see Conrad coming towards me. He looks pissed.

I wonder if he's angry with me, but I can't remember doing anything that would make him angry.

I start to apologize to him the second he's close enough to hear me, but instead of acknowledging me, he ignores me and joins Günter and Gwendal in the room. It's like he didn't even see me.

 _What the hell, Conrad?!  
_  
The door closes behind Conrad and I put my ear against it and listen in once more.

 **/ / / / /**

Conrad stand's in front of the desk and peer's down at his older brother. He tries to read the expression on his face, but per usual, it's unreadable.

"You sent for me?"

Gwendal thread's his fingers together, prop's his elbows up on the table, and rest's his chin on his fingers.

"Yes. A situation arose while you were away. His Majesty..."

A feeling of dread washes over Conrad and his chest tightens at the mention of "a situation" and "His Majesty."

Whatever Gwendal is trying to tell him, he knows it isn't good.

"What happened?"

Conrad's voice is small and tight.

/ _Something is wrong_./

"While you were away, an assassin weaseled his way into the castle. He attacked His Majesty in his room. I ... I'm afraid His Majesty is ... "

Gwendal can't bring himself to look his younger brother in the eyes as he gives him the news, so he stares at the surface of the desk instead, examining it. His voice trailing off.

Perhaps giving his younger brother the news about His Majesty is just too painful for him.

"I'm sorry, Conrad."

Günter touches Conrad's arm in an attempt to help ease the pain of the blow and comfort him.

Conrad glances from Gwendal to Günter, then back to Gwendal. He shakes his head, his body trembling. He's in shock.

"No... No! It isn't true! It can't be true! How could something like this have happened? How could you have _allowed_ something like this to happen?!"

"I didn't _allow_ anything to happen! I would never _deliberately_ allow something bad to happen to His Majesty!"

"The person who assassinated His Majesty is in custody and the incident is under investigation. Conrad, I promise you. That person will pay for hurting His Majesty."

Günter pipes up and assures his friend, who looks angrier than a hornet that's been provoked.

Conrad grabs his forehead as if he's just been struck down with a major headache, crestfallen.

"His Majesty can't be gone. He can't..."

 ** _/ / / / /  
_** _  
An ... assassin ... attacked His Majesty? W-Wait a minute! I'm His Majesty!_

The realization of what's happened shocks me and sends a chill down my spine.

 _I.. I'm the one w-who's died?! How?! Why?!_

I become deeply depressed.

If I'm dead, that means I won't get to see my little girl grow up and become the woman she was meant to be. On the other hand, maybe I can sneak into the girls locker room at school without feeling guilty about being a peeping tom.

 _Can I even return to Earth in this form?_

 _Maybe they have baseball on the other side.  
_  
The idea of having baseball on the other side cheer's me up only a little. I'm still depressed that I won't get to see my little girl grow up.

Actually, I'm depressed about a lot of things. A lot of things ...

Conrad gets upset and yells at his older brother. It shocks me back to reality and instead of feeling depressed, I start to feel angry.

I want to kill the assassin for being the one to make Conrad angry instead of me.

The bastard had no right!

 _No right!_

I force myself to calm down and watch the rest of the scene between Gwendal, Gunter and Conrad with a heavy heart.

 _I didn't mean to die and inconvenience everyone. Least of all, cause you pain. Please, forgive me, Conrad... Günter... Gwendal..._

 _I wonder if Wolfram knows I'm dead?_

No.

Earlier, Gwendal mentioned giving "them" the news and told Günter that he would probably need help dealing with his younger brother's. His younger brother's being Conrad and Wolfram.

Conrad only just now found out about my death. If he was the first of Gwendal's two younger brother's to learn about my death, then Wolfram doesn't know yet.

Rather than stick around to bare witness to Wolfram's reaction to the news of my death, I leave and return to the room I was in before. There's something I need to confirm for myself.

I stand next to the bed and stare at the person laying on it.

The person is mostly definitely male. His chest is flat and there's a slight bump between his thighs, under the covers that have been pulled up around him. He has short black hair and light, olive colored skin.

He looks like a teenager. Probably around sixteen years of age.

I reach to pull back his lids to see what color his eyes are, but my hand goes right through.

Alarmed, I jerk my hand back.

I don't need to see the color of the eyes of the person laying on the bed to know. That, along with the fact that my hand passed through the boys face when I reached to open his eyes confirms it.

The person laying on the bed in this small, cold, dark room is me.

That's when it hits me.

I tip my head back and let out a blood curdling, ear piercing scream that echo's through the castle.

Thunder roars overhead and it begins to pour.

 _/I... I'm really dead!/_


	2. Wolfram

I never though I would live to see the day when I would actually die.

It's impossible to live to see the day you die if you're dead, and I am dead, right?

Gwendal doesn't lie, so it must be true. I'm dead.

An assassin broke into the castle, found me laying sound asleep in bed, and killed me. But how? Why?

I stare at the body, my body, laying on the bed and try to piece together what happened. My hair has been brushed so that every tendril of black silk is neatly in place. My eyes are closed and my face is relaxed as if I am asleep and dreaming.

/ _Am I dreaming?/  
_  
I look so peaceful laying there; as if I am waiting for prince charming to come breath new life into me with a kiss. If my skin was more pale, I might even resemble Snow White during that famous scene.

I don't see any injuries to my body at all!

/ _Maybe it was poison...?/  
_  
Gunter is the one responsible for this. He would never allow me to look less than perfect for my funeral, and it isn't because I'm the king of Shin Makoku. It's because he considers me his friend. His heart would never allow him to do otherwise.

I mentally thank Gunter for taking the time to prepare my body for my funeral before hearing a scream that rivals the one I let out earlier. It breaks my heart and my eyes well with fresh tears.

 _/Wolfram./_

Gwendal just told him the news and now his heart is breaking and he is mourning the loss of his beloved wimp.

 _/Pull yourself together and stop wailing, Wolf. If you don't, I'll never be able to cross over and find out what's waiting for me on the other side. Besides, your cry is just too heart breaking for me to bare. Please! Stop!/  
_  
My plea falls on deaf ears. The heart wrenching sound that is Wolfram mourning the loss of his wimp only gets louder and makes my heart ache.

I want to go to him. Comfort him. Tell him that I'm alright; I'm not hurting or suffering in any way.

It isn't true. Finding out that you're dead and that you're a spirit, ghost, apparition, or whatever you want to call it, is a huge shock. There's no physical pain, but there's a lot of emotional pain and mental anguish.

I want to tell Wolfram that, but all I can do is stand here... Uhm... levitate?... and listen to him cry.

It's a terrible feeling.

 _/Wolfram. Everyone. I'm sorry I died and left you all behind. I didn't mean to. I guess I really am a wimp after all./  
_  
I apologize sincerely to the blonde bishonen who became my fiancé because of a cultural misunderstanding and the rest of our family and friends.

I would return to my body and re-join the land of the living if I had a choice in the matter. As it is, what happens to my soul is out of my hands.

I hang my head and start to cry.

Ghosts can't cry.

Whoever believes that has obviously never been a ghost before.

Ghosts _can_ cry. If it's because they miss their family and friends, ghosts can cry.

I am living proof!

/ _Err... Living.../_

Right.

Wolfram.

 **/ / / / / / / / / /  
**  
"No amount of tears will bring His Majesty back. Pick yourself up off the floor and stop crying."

No amount of tears will bring His Majesty back.

If tears could bring him back, His Majesty would be working alongside Gwendal in the office. Or in the courtyard, playing catch with Conrad.

He would be in class, listening to Gunter ramble on about the history of Great Demon Kingdom. Or in the library reading to his daughter.

He would be running through the corridors, trying to sneak out unbeknownst to his accidental fiancé to spend time in the capital. Wolfram would find out about His Majesty's escapade and chase him through the corridors, his sword drawn, trying to stop him.

If tears could bring His Majesty back...

Gunter tries to help Wolfram pull himself together and help him up off the floor where he fell when he went into shock upon hearing the news about His Majesty, but the deceased king's teacher and advisor has his work cut out for him. All His Majesty's fiance, Wolfram, can do is sit there and cling to him as he mourns the loss of his fiance.

"I'll travel to the Temple of Shinou. I.. I'll demand he return Yuuri to us!"

Wolfram announces determinedly through choked sobs.

"You can't do that."

Gunter says emphatically, frowning.

"Why?"

Wolfram is incredulous. He sees no reason why he can't make such a request of the Shinou.

"The Shinou no longer possesses the maryoku to perform such a task."

Gunter reminds him, still frowning. There is a hint of pity in his voice for the Shinou.

"Then Sara!"

Wolfram is desperate. He's grasping at straws.

"Unfortunately, it would take too long for him to get here. It's only been a day and already His Majesty's body has started to deteriorate. By the time Sara arrived -"

"Uhrg!"

Wolfram drops his head into his hand and cries in frustration.

"Wolfram..."

Gunter watches him with tired eyes and whispers his name.

"All I want is for Yuuri to come back to us. Why do you want to stop me?"

Wolfram is dejected.

Gunter looks at him and frowns. He isn't trying to discourage him. More than anything, he wants His Majesty to return. But he knows that isn't possible.

"Do you remember when you were little and Gwendal had that pet turtle and it died? Do you remember what Gwendal told you?"

Gunter asks. His voice is a little restrained.

Wolfram nods, then speaks.

"He told me that it was okay to get upset and cry, but then I had to stop being selfish and think of the turtle or else it could never cross over and be happy. But..."

Wolfram wipes away his tears with the backs of his hands.

"... it's too soon!"

"Take the time to grieve, Wolfram, then stop being selfish and think about His Majesty. If you don't stop crying, he'll never be able to cross over and be happy."

Gunter's words are harsh, but they are as much for Wolfram's benefit as they are for his. He doesn't want to be selfish and prevent His Majesty, wherever he is, from being happy.

Wolfram growls in anger and frustrations and buries his face in Gunter's chest, mourning the loss of his beloved wimp once more.

 _/Wolfram./_


	3. Conrad

Gwendal follows his younger brother out on the balcony and attempts to console him, but there can no peace for the man whose only charge was to protect His Majesty and failed.

"I should have been here to protect him, Gwen. I should have been here..."

Conrad's voice is heavy with regret.

"There's no way you could have known. There was no way any of us could have known."

As Head of Castle Security, it was also his charge to protect His Majesty. In his head and in his heart, he has also failed. The words he offers his younger brother are as much for his benefit as they are for Conrad's.

"I suppose the Heads of The Ten Nobel Families of Great Demon Kingdom will hold a conference and choose a new Demon King."

Conrad stares blankly into space and comments in a hollow tone.

"Eventually."

Gwendal answers in an equally hallow tone. He has yet to notify the Heads of The Ten Nobel Families and tell them what's happened. It's a task he wishes he could give to someone else to do.

"There's His Majesty's funeral and the assassin's execution to contend with first."

Gwendal reminds him.

Conrad is hit with another wave of regret when he's reminded about His Majesty's funeral and the assassin's execution and he glares angrily into space.

He doesn't give a damn about the assassin. The assassin made his bed. He can lay in it. But His Majesty ...

"I need to lay down."

"Do it."

Gwendal nod's, understanding.

"I'll come see you after the arrangements have been made."

Conrad turns and walks away without saying so much as a single word. He goes to his room and shuts and locks the door tight behind him. In the comfort of his own room, he picks up one piece of furniture after another and hurls it with inhuman strength against a wall.

Just like his heart, the furniture breaks into a billion pieces and scatters across the floor.

He collapses on the floor, on his knees, and screams mournfully into the air.

The loss of His Majesty has finally sunk in.

"YUURI~~~!"

 **/ / / / /**

I knew everyone would be upset if something bad ever happened to me, but I never dreamed it would be like this; that my soul would remain in the land of the living instead of crossing over and that I would be there to bare witness to my friends and family mourn my death.

 _Conrad. Everyone...  
_  
... _I'm sorry. Please, forgive me_.

I apologize for dying for the umpteenth time, then leave and look for a place where I can be alone with my own grief.

Even souls need time to mourn the loss of the family and friends, and the body, it left behind.

* * *

I'm not as happy with this chapter as I am with the previous chapters,  
but, hopefully, the next chapter will be better.

Thanks for taking the time to read my story and review it.

\- King Aden :)


	4. Greta

"Greta."

Upon her return to the castle, Wolfram takes the young girl where they can speak privately. He pulls up a chair and pulls her onto his lap. He craddles her head against his chest and closes his eyes.

"Daddy?"

Immediately, Greta realizes that something is wrong. The man who co-adopted her along with Yuuri is being way too quiet.

Silence is golden, but in this case, it's frightening. Especially coming from Wolfram.

"Greta..."

A lump forms in his throat, but he finally manages to force it down and to say his adopted daughter's name and give her the news.

"S-Something happened while you were away, visiting Beatrice. Someone entered the castle without permission and attacked Yuuri while he was sleeping. I.. I'm afraid he's gone, Greta."

Wolfram chokes back a tear and braces himself for Greta's reaction.

Greta sits quietly on Wolfram's lap, mulling over what she's just been told. At first, her young brain has trouble processing the information it's just been given, but then it starts to sink in and her brown colored eyes well with tears.

She hops down, onto the floor, and shakes her head vehemently, her hands balled into fists.

"N-No! I don't believe it! It isn't true!"

Greta is in shock.

Wolfram stands up and walks over to her. Even though she's no relation to him, because he adopted her, she is all he has left of Yuuri. He takes her into his arms and holds her tight.

"I'm sorry, Greta. I loved Yuuri too."

He whispers softly into Greta's auburn-red curls, the tears he manage to hold back before falling freely from his eyes.

"I'm sorry..."

 **Shortly thereafter...**

Greta walks down the hall to her room. She goes inside and closes the door. She didn't know her adoptive father, Yuuri, long before someone infiltrated the castle and killed him, but in her heart, he was her father. She loved him. Now, that he's gone...

She walks across the room to the window and opens it. She sticks her head out and tries to guage the distance from the window to the ground. Now that the most important person in her life is gone, she has nothing left to live for.

Conrad walks around the castle grounds, feeling numb.

His Majesty is gone. No matter what Gwendal and the others say about it, what happened to His Majesty is all his fault.

He wishes he could just take his sword, prop it up with some rocks, and throw himself against it.

As much as he would like that, he just can't bring himself to do it.

 _/I'm a coward./_

He wrinkles his nose in disgust and stops walking, irritated with himself.

The senses he developed as a soldier kick in and he looks up. His jaw drops to the ground and his eyes go wide with shock.

He holds his arms out in front of him and dashes forward.

"Arrrrrgh!"

"Got you!"

"Conrad...?!"

At the last possible second, Conrad catches the small child in his arms. He craddles her firmly against his chest, tips his head back and closes his eyes. He thanks Shinou he caught her before she hit the ground.

"Greta. Are you alright? What happened?"

He asks, concerned.

"I..."

Greta starts to answer him, then stops. She almost too ashamed of herself to answer him.

"I... I wanted to be with Yuuri."

She mumbles softly, looking away.

"Greta..."

* * *

This chapter is only 500+ words.  
Strange. I thought it was more than that.  
The chapter felt a lot longer when I was writing...  
err... typing it.

Oh, well...  
I hope that, even though it was sad, you enjoyed reading it.

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

\- Aden :)


	5. Tenderness

Upon hearing the way Conrad says her name, Greta lowers her head and stares down at the ground in shame. Normally, she would never dream of committing suicide, but that was when her adoptive father was still alive. Now, that he's gone... She wraps her tiny arms around Conrad's neck, drops her head on Conrad's shoulder, and cries. /Yuuri! Why? Why did he have to die? Why did he leave me?!/

The loss of her adoptive father is too much for the young girls fragile heart to bear and her slender body trembles as she cries until she has no more tears to cry and falls asleep on Conrad's shoulder.

/I understand how you feel all to well, princess. But no matter how hard it is for the living to continue living, that's exactly what we must do... for his sake./

Conrad holds the young girl securely in his arms and carries her inside to Wolfram's room. Carefully, so as not to jostle her and wake Greta from her slumber, he holds her in an arm and raises his opposite arm and knocks softly on the door.

Wolfram watches the daughter he co-adopted with Yuuri leave, then turns towards the wardrobe sitting in the corner. He opens it and reaches inside and pulls out one of his fiancé's spare, black, Japanese school uniforms and holds it up in front of him. He stares at it intently for a minute before hugging it tight against his chest and hanging his head and sobbing uncontrollably.

/Why?! Why did you leave me, you wimp?! I... I'll never forgive you for breaking my heart like this!/

Although he has never been one for tears, he allows himself to wallow in his own misery until a sudden knock at the door interrupts his solitude.

"G-Go away!"

"Wolfram."

The sound of his eldest brother's somber voice from the other side of the door forces him to pull himself together, and he wipes the tears from his eyes with the backs of his hands as he slowly makes his way to the door, still clutching the spare uniform tightly in his hands.

"What?! Oh! ... Greta."

He opens the door and pauses when he sees his adoptive daughter draped over Conrad's shoulder, asleep.

"May I come in?"

Wolfram looks up at Conrad and nods. He opens the door all the way and holds it open and steps aside so Conrad can enter.

"Greta told me she was going to her room to be alone and to think. What happened?"

Conrad steps inside and carries the sleeping child over to the bed and gently lays her down on it. He grabs the blankets and tucks her in with steady hands before turning to look at Wolfram, a grim expression on his normally calm face.

"Greta..."

He pauses and glances down to the right, wondering if he should tell Wolfram the truth after everything he's been through.

Wolfram watches Conrad carry Greta over to the bed and lay her down on it and tuck her in. He frowns when Conrad looks at him and says Greta's name, neither liking the expression on his face or his tone of voice.

"... misses Yuuri."

Wolfram lets out a sigh of relief and walks over. He stops next to Conrad and stares lovingly at Greta's sleeping form.

"I was worried about leaving her alone after telling her about... but she promised she would be okay. She said she was going to her room because she wanted to be alone to think. I'm glad she's already."

Tears of relief fill Wolfram's dark green eyes and roll down his slightly flushed cheeks and he smiles a tiny bit.

"She just needed time to process what you told her. She and Yuuri were close, after all. His death was bound to have a profound effect on her."

Wolfram nods absently and chokes back a sob.

"You're right. She just needed time to process. I... I just don't know what I would have done if I had lost Greta too. I.. I love her so much!"

"Greta knows that, so there's no need for you to worry."

Conrad places a hand on his brother's shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze. He's glad he didn't tell Wolfram the truth. The truth would have devastated him. He pulls his hand away and looks at Greta sleeping on the bed.

"I can't stay. Gwendal is coming to see me in a little while. Please, keep an eye on Greta. She's bound to be upset when she wakes up and realizes that what happened to... you know... wasn't a dream."

Wolfram nods, understanding.

"Thank you for bringing her to me."

"It was no problem."

Conrad assures him, the tiniest hint of a smile in his voice. Conrad pats Wolfram gently on the shoulder and takes one last look at Greta sleeping on the bed before turning and walking out, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Wolfram nods slightly, grateful for his older brother's thoughtfulness. He sits next to Greta on the bed and gently brushes her hair, a faint smile on his thin, pale pink lips. But it isn't enough. He has to be closer to her. He pulls her into his lap and cradles her gently against his chest, holding her protectively in his arms.

/I'm so glad you're okay. I would be so lost without you./

He closes his eyes and sits quietly for a minute before humming a lullaby.

-  
Conrad stands in the hall and hangs his head and sighs. He looks up and stares at the door, hearing Wolfram hum, and frowns deeply, feeling troubled.

/Take care of her, Wolf. Yuuri's death has effected her more than you realize./ 

* * *

A/N: I apologize for the wait. There were a lot of things all going at once, but things have calmed down so I was finally able to update. I'm sorry you guys are all so sad, but I do hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. I'm doing my best to make it as realistic as possible. A slight challenge considering almost all of the characters are demons (lol). I don't think this story will have any pairings right now since the primary focus is on Yuuri's untimely demise and how the people in his life are going to cope now that he's gone, but maybe in the future. I agree that it's sad Greta and Conrad wanted to die to be with Yuuri, he wouldn't want that, but I am glad that hasn't happened yet. I don't know why Shinou wouldn't be able to bring Yuuri back from the dead. Maybe he can only save people who are on the verge of ding as opposed to those who have already died? I wonder about the assassin too... who is it and why did they kill Yuuri?! I want to know the answer myself, lol. Thanks for reading and reviewing and for adding "Death of The Demon King" to your favorites! ^_^


	6. The Prisoner

Gwendal makes his way down to the dungeon where the man accused of murdering his majesty in cold blood is being held, deep in thought. He had always known that whoever occupied the throne would be a target for those who hated and feared demons, but he never imagined the day would come when someone would actually breach security and successfully kill his majesty.

As Chief of Military and Head of Castle Security he should have been aware of the assassin's plans to kill his majesty and sent his majesty to Earth where he would be safe until the danger passed. Instead, he failed miserably.

His majesty's death is his fault.

He pauses just outside the prisoners cell and indicates to the soldier standing guard to unlock the door with an angry grunt.

The soldier acknowledges his request with a nod of his head and pulls a key from a breast pocket. He unlocks the door, then resumes his post next to the door. Standing straight, he fixes his gaze on the opposite side of the hall, as if something interesting has caught his attention.

Gwendal pulls open the cell door and steps inside. He takes a few steps, then stops directly in front of the prisoner and stares down at him. The prisoner is barely as tall as Wolfram and his body is slender and frail. He has shaggy white hair that extends down past his ears, along his jawline and under his chin, forming a beard. There's a thin strip of white between his long, narrow nose and plush pink lips, and wrinkles creasing his forehead and the area around his eyes.

He has the appearance of a very old man who doesn't look like he can even get out of the bed in the morning without help, let alone the appearance and the physique of an assassin.

For a brief second, Gwendal wonders if the soldiers might have made a mistake and apprehended this poor, frail looking man instead of the assassin by accident. But then he remembers the clothes the man was wearing and the weapon he was wielding when the soldiers apprehended him. He grimaces and glares daggers at the man.

"Who are you? Why did you kill his majesty?"

The prisoner hears him come in, but waits until he's directly in front of him and begins questioning him before lifting his head and staring up at him with pale blue eyes.

"I know who you are. You're Lord von Voltaire. Chief of Military and Head of State of The Affairs."

Gwendal continues to glare daggers at the man and growls.

"That isn't what I asked."

The prisoner nods in understanding.

"No, it isn't."

The prisoner agrees and sighs.

Gwendal grunts and waits impatiently for the prisoner to continue.

"My name is Fred. I'm from the castle city, from Shin Makoku, but I didn't kill his majesty."

"Liar! My men caught you in the act! You were hovering over his majesty, wielding a sword! You most certainly did kill him!"

But even as the words leave his mouth he still doesn't believe Fred is physically capable of having committed the crime of which he's been accused.

"No. You saw my body acting on its own. I have no recollection of what happened between the time I went to bed last night and when I woke up here."

Gwendal mulls over Fred's words. Considering his own baby brother has been possessed several times in the past, it's possible Fred is telling the truth. If that's the case, the real murderer is still wandering around out there, free.

"Lord von Voltaire."

"Hm?"

"Please, may I go home now? My son needs my help to run the family farm."

Gwendal considers Fred's request for a brief second before turning and walking to the door.

"No."

Fred's eyes widen slightly in shock.

"But, sir!"

Gwendal ignores Fred's shocked outburst and walks out. It isn't that he's the cold-hearted man of which he's been accused of being in the past, but rather it's his hope that with the fall guy in jail the real murderer will feel safe and eventually reveal himself.

He motions to the solider from before and orders him to lock the door, then leaves to see Conrad. 

* * *

A/N: I didn't expect to have another chapter ready so soon, but the words came to me so I wrote them down while they were still fresh in my head. I really enjoyed this chapter because it turns out the person who murdered his majesty isn't the real murderer! Gwendal and the others were so sure the assassin was the murderer. I wonder what they'll do next?


End file.
